The reasons of a pastors resolution, touching the reuerend receiuing of the holy communion: written by Dauid Lindesay, D. of Diuinitie, in the Vniuersitie of Saint Andrewes in Scotland, and preacher of the gospell at Dundy

ARG. 5.

FVrther, if the example of our Sa∣uiours Gesture at Table should be obserued necessarily as best, and should bee the parterne whereunto wee should conforme our gesture, then doubtlesse it should bee obser∣ued throughout all the action, and in euery part thereof, wherein our Sauiour did vse it. And if yee hold that hee did not alter his gesture, but lay still, as well at the Thankesgiuing and Blessing, as at the giuing and re∣ceiuing, which yee must doe, ex∣cept yee grant, according to the truth, that it is vncertaine what ges∣ture hee did vse: Why doe wee vse then three sorts of gestures in that Action? For when we take and giue the bread to the people, wee stand;

when we blesse it, we Kneele, and command the people to Kneele; and finally, when the Sacrament is a re∣ceiuing, we will haue the people to Sit downe againe. So for one simple gesture vsed by our Sauiour, we prac∣tise three, variant and different one from another. If it bee answered, that the Thankes-giuing wherewith the action beginneth, is no part of the Action, then it will follow, that one essentiall part of the action, at least, an integrant part is omitted by vs, which our Sauiour did prac∣tise: for the words of the Institution which wee repeate at the celebration of the Sacrament, are not Narratiua tantùm, but Verba directiua; not nar∣ratiue onely, but directiue words, which we must follow and practice according to the precept, Doe this in remembrance of mee: And there∣fore as we say, Christ took the bread, so we take the bread; and as wee say hee brake it, so we breake it; and as

hee commanded the Disciples, so we, in his name, command the peo∣ple to take it, and eate it, which they must also doe; and as hee said, so we in his Name say, This is my Bo∣dy, this is my Bloud. If all be directiue, and are performed by vs according to the direction, then certainely we must also giue thankes; as our Sa∣uiour gaue thankes; although wee haue no particular forme of thankes∣giuing set downe, yet keeping the grounds of the generall rules, the Lords Prayer, a thankesgiuing should bee conceiued agreeable to action. It is thought that the ancient Church, and the Apostles did one∣ly vse the Lords Prayer, and there is none like it, nor more conuenient▪ if 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which wee interpret Daily bread, doe signifie the super∣substantiall bread, as it is taken by many of the Fathers.